TO PLAY AMIDST THE COBBLES

Four young boys are accused with robbery. one of them with murder, Hanging in Britain was still prevalent at that time. Can one of them escape the hangman's noose?'Ruby White the petite honey blonde who works in a chemist shop spends her lunch break reading poetry in the local library. it is there that she meets Richard Llewellyn Shaw a writer and poet from Wales who has come to the North East to write a book. A relationship develops even though he is eight years her senior.Then there is Jessie Longworth who has been saddled with looking after her father who is in the early stages of dementia. She is unable to cope with looking after her father, and her family and asks her brother Edward if he will take her father for a while. Joe Corder is an ex-dock worker. He worked hard all his life and gives his son his savings to help him start his own business. He meets Elizabeth who comes from a well to do family who all look down on Jessie and her father. She will not have him in her home.

2. 2

Humphries stated that the four young men admitted that they had stolen a vehicle and planned to rob the cigarette factory that night but had not gone there with the intention to murder John Banister. “I put it to you ladies and gentlemen of the jury; that this was a robbery that went horribly wrong, which led to the death of John Banister. Alan Stoneman did not set out to kill John Banister who had tried to stop them from getting away. He punched Alan Stoneman to the ground that night and Alan acted in self defence. John Bannister, the ex rugby player who weighed two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle and six feet tall struck Alan Stoneman in the jaw knocking him to the ground. This young boy weighed less than nine stones; he defended himself against a bigger stronger man using the only thing he had at that time; a piece of lead piping. When Bannister came at the boy again Alan Stoneman struck him using the only thing he had to protect himself with. John Banister was by all accounts a bully who lived in his household, he inflicted violence upon the young boy and the other siblings in the house as well when a relationship with his mother began. “John Bannister was struck only once on the head in self defence. The boy got into the car in fear and drove away.’ “Yes,’ he did leave the victim on the ground and drove away but he did not know the severity of John Banisters injuries at that time.’ “He was a scared young boy who just wanted to get away.’

“I ask you for clemency in this case Alan Stoneman is only eighteen years of age he does not deserve to hang for this crime; yes I agree that justice should be done and that they should not go unpunished for the robbery that took place but I ask you to bring in a verdict of not guilty for the murder of John Banister.’

Judge Christopher Allan Lindsay asked for the prosecution to bring in their first witness.

“Call Simon Smith said the court usher. The doors of the courtroom opened and in walked an elderly gentleman of about sixty eight he made his way very slowly to the witness box where he stated his name and swore on oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Jeremy fox asked Simon Smith to tell what he saw on the night 14th of June last year.

“Well sir, I was walking my dog Lucy when I saw a van coming out of the “Wills factory, one of the men had hit the guard then jumped in the van and drove away.

Did you see the guard strike the young man?’

“No sir I did not.’

“So you only saw this young man strike the guard over the head with a lump of heavy piping.

Objection the witness has not substantiated what weapon was used in the attack.’

Did you see the weapon used against the guard?

“Yes it looked like a piece of piping sir.’

“Thank you.’

“Did you manage to get a good look at the young man?’

Yes sir I did.’

“Is that man in the court room now?’

“Yes sir he is.’

“Can you point out the man in this court room?’

“Yes sir it is that man over there.’

“Let it be noted that the witness has clearly identified the accused Alan Stoneman.’